tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38549085151209174202017-08-29T14:37:05.566+10:00Bittersweet - Our Toddler & Type1 DiabetesOur 3rd child was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 8 months old. Like we werent busy enough...Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.comBlogger119125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-1979358160921966412013-02-13T21:50:00.000+10:002013-02-13T21:50:43.267+10:00I love this - <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s4LFqlziuUw/URt5im7mErI/AAAAAAAAAQw/OyRqfd3a1Tk/s1600/pancreasmum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s4LFqlziuUw/URt5im7mErI/AAAAAAAAAQw/OyRqfd3a1Tk/s320/pancreasmum.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><br />Lately my mind has gotten busy again.&nbsp;&nbsp; Our levels are acting up probably due to growth spurts and increased appetite but I have to knuckle down and really do some solid basal testing (can you say, egg, cheese and chicken day?)&nbsp; and adjust correction rates.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Yeah more testing, awesome.<br /><br />The other issue that&nbsp;is truly weighing on me - kindergarten for 2014. <br /><br />I need to train someone to look after my son, when hes never really been away from me for long before.<br /><br />Step 1 in this process is getting together our plan of management <em>in writing.&nbsp;&nbsp;</em>Oh my goodness this task is so overwhelming I havent even begun.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Its a type of paralysis.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Everything is more engrossing-&nbsp; &nbsp;vacuuming, mopping and&nbsp;pruning fruit trees.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If I close my eyes I envision a swanky folder with emergency action charts and laminated colour cheat sheets.&nbsp;&nbsp; Reality?&nbsp;&nbsp; Its just floating about in my head.&nbsp;&nbsp; Must make a solid start before we enter March.<br /><br />Step 2&nbsp;is&nbsp;transitioning to a pump this year in preparation for next year so needles wont&nbsp;need&nbsp;to be administered at kindy.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; To say im excited but freaking out is an understatement.<br /><br />Thats where we are at peeps.&nbsp;&nbsp; Im relieved to put that in writing.&nbsp;&nbsp; Must.get.some.momentum. <br /><br />Happy&nbsp;Valentines Day, heres hoping the BGL's behave.&nbsp; <br /><br /><br /><em></em><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-57081824534914383682013-01-11T18:30:00.000+10:002013-01-11T18:30:49.607+10:00Howdy!<br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For Christmas I got Reuben a Woody doll (of Toy Story fame).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We sat together at the dining table one night and he thrust the doll at me.&nbsp; <em>Make him talk, Mummy.&nbsp;&nbsp; </em>Woody, when brought to life courtesy of moi, &nbsp;sounds like a 34 year old woman, trying to sound cowboy slash american slash toy like.&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not pretty.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My sweet boy is not cognisant of my theatrical failings.&nbsp;&nbsp; He is giggling and smiling at this doll while I make him chatter and strut.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; While playing it becomes testing time.&nbsp;&nbsp; We merely say 'tester' to Reuben and he holds out the finger he wishes us to prick.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Woody apparently had <em>really</em> rapid onset diabetes.&nbsp; (Sans the dka and hospital stay). &nbsp; He suddenly needs a 'tester' too.&nbsp;&nbsp; My son assembles the strip and loads the lancet.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I have to double take.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Grasping woodys tiny hand hes pricking his finger and squeezing like crazy.&nbsp;&nbsp; (FFS&lt; I winced for Woody's stuffing.)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Hes concentrating so hard to get the little strip up to&nbsp;the fabric finger.&nbsp; <em>Needle time!&nbsp; </em>Reuben is announcing even though Cowboy Woody is 3.3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Busting out some syringes we give Woody his novorapid in back of the arm - Reubens current favourite injection site.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hes very matter of factly telling his sister that you cannot give a needle in the various locales shes trying to stab him.&nbsp; <em>Not the ankle.&nbsp;&nbsp; Not the neck.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; NOT the armpit!!!!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </em></span><br /><em></em><br /><br /><em></em><br /><em style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Photo" class="scaledImageFitWidth img" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/c111.0.403.403/p403x403/282908_10151630377518332_1621351529_n.jpg" width="320" /></em><br /><br /><br />Theres nothing a boy and his <strike>doll &nbsp;</strike>cowboy friend cannot do!<br />&nbsp;&nbsp; Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-3947365286181969772012-09-06T13:32:00.000+10:002012-09-06T13:32:34.549+10:00Ramblings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This blog is a ramble.&nbsp;&nbsp; Three or four ideas in one because Im tired.&nbsp;&nbsp; </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Im always tired.)&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes caring for Reubens&nbsp;diabetes is like having another child to take care of.&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Its needy and demanding and stomps and rants.&nbsp;&nbsp; Its constancy is exhausting.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even though its <em>a&nbsp;part</em> of him, when I think of my son, diabetes is like somehow a <em>seperate</em> thing.&nbsp;&nbsp; A compartment I can tend to and then keep on treating him like a&nbsp;normal child.&nbsp;&nbsp; As normal as can be, considering.&nbsp;&nbsp; With his multiple daily injections I will be honest and say its&nbsp;morphed into a&nbsp;highly routinised life - despite what they told us at diagnosis.&nbsp; Hes finally eating a full sandwich, or full serving of breakfast cereal.&nbsp;&nbsp; Amounts I can quantify and carb count more accurately.&nbsp;&nbsp; Full&nbsp;units of insulin&nbsp;that fit with those meals.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">YAY for that.&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 years coming.&nbsp; Props Reubs :)</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Right in time for his 3rd Birthday!&nbsp;</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think back to the difficulty of&nbsp;all those 'guessed' quarter units with a syringe and wonder how&nbsp;we did it.&nbsp;&nbsp;Shovelling food back into a&nbsp;cup to&nbsp;re measure and finally guess what he ate.&nbsp;&nbsp;Then a guess at how much insulin to give to match the guessed&nbsp;food intake (argh!).&nbsp; &nbsp;This picture below reminds me of the full&nbsp;first year.&nbsp;&nbsp; I felt&nbsp;ragged.&nbsp;&nbsp; Like I wasnt going to make it through. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>&nbsp;</div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">﻿﻿</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-enb4hrGpzbI/UDTSc2kk4KI/AAAAAAAAAQc/6MBQXGDrSIw/s1600/up+to+aug12+316.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-enb4hrGpzbI/UDTSc2kk4KI/AAAAAAAAAQc/6MBQXGDrSIw/s1600/up+to+aug12+316.jpeg" /></a><br /><br />&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We did make it through.&nbsp; D-Parents do it tough.&nbsp; Anyone that says differently hasnt walked a mile in our shoes.</td></tr></tbody></table>When I sneak into his room to poke his fingers through the night, I hold my breath.&nbsp; I check hes breathing.&nbsp; I look for the rise and fall of his little chest.&nbsp;&nbsp; I peek at his hands to see if hes twitching or shaking.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He remains asleep but must sense my presence and&nbsp; holds a finger out for me.&nbsp;&nbsp; He inadvertantly begins sucking because this is our routine.&nbsp;&nbsp; I feed him carbs in his sleep to stop his blood sugar dropping dangerously low.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And, I kiss his soft button nose, and chubby cheeks.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I hold his hand and he wraps his fingers inside mine.&nbsp;<em> Sweet Jesus look after my baby tonight help him wake safely in the morning.</em>&nbsp;&nbsp;The gravity of the disease is heavy.&nbsp; He&nbsp;trusts me to keep him alive.&nbsp;&nbsp; He does as I say and endures the needles, the pokes, shovels in the sugar to treat lows.&nbsp;&nbsp;<em> Lord, please never let me let him down.</em> &nbsp;&nbsp; Simple prayers, but desperate and full of love.<br /><br />So far, we're a good team.&nbsp; <br /><br />Love to you all xx<br /><br />Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-51949757750866993732012-07-18T14:25:00.000+10:002012-07-18T14:25:14.181+10:00Scanning food barcodes with smartphoneI dont post alot about my other kids, but I have 3.&nbsp;&nbsp; My eldest son is about to turn 8 and hes a busy kid, with Tennis, Swimming, Athletics and school.&nbsp; My middle child is my only daughter, shes in kindergarten; also very busy with swimming, kindy, tots athletics and a real desire for martial arts we just cant seem to squeeze it all in.&nbsp;&nbsp; And then theres the hurricane, my D - child is willful (to be kind about it!)&nbsp; <br /><br />Anything to save time and headaches, is a saviour to me.&nbsp;&nbsp; When dealing with diabetes, I need easy.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-18rWOd2_oN8/UAY59-5JGRI/AAAAAAAAAPM/QsjzXfO21NE/s1600/curediabetes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-18rWOd2_oN8/UAY59-5JGRI/AAAAAAAAAPM/QsjzXfO21NE/s1600/curediabetes.jpg" /></a>So I got onto this app on my smart phone, called <strong>My Fitness Pal.</strong>&nbsp; You can plug in the foods you are looking for manually to see nutritional breakdown and add them to a diary&nbsp;if needed.&nbsp; &nbsp;(Im interested in counting carbohydrates primarily).&nbsp;&nbsp; <strong>The <span style="font-size: large;">best</span> part</strong> <strong>is a little <span style="font-size: large;">barcode button</span></strong>.&nbsp;&nbsp; <em>When you press that, you can literally scan any food with a barcode right onto your phone and VOILA!&nbsp;&nbsp; Carbohydrate count appears</em>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br />Awesome stuff. <br /><br />Did I mention its free?<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com/">http://www.myfitnesspal.com/</a><br /><br />Rushing out of target today I thought, frickety frick, no idea how many carbs in that 35g mini m&amp;m tube.&nbsp;&nbsp; Nothing written on it either.&nbsp; I spy a barcode.&nbsp; BINGO&gt; out comes the phone, click on my fitness pal app, bring up the food diary, hit barcode, line up the code until i see it on the screen, red line turns green, phone beeps, theres a read out of the nutritional info with carbs clearly listed.&nbsp;&nbsp; Just love it.&nbsp;&nbsp; Thought Id put it out there incase anyone else on the planet hadnt gotten onto it yet either!<br /><br />Hope you are all having a good week.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /><br /><br />Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-29097955320071643972012-07-17T12:54:00.000+10:002012-07-17T13:00:20.434+10:00A week and a half with Type 1 DiabetesThis picture has come up on my facebook page several times as well as JDRF advocacy page and I think it deserves some time.&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br />Think on this- its only one and a half weeks living with diabetes.&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="img" height="400" src="http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s480x480/252694_401075046604696_2077611984_n.jpg" width="332" /></div>Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-71172681203056034222012-06-30T06:26:00.001+10:002012-06-30T06:26:56.698+10:00Non invasive blood sugar testing<br /><br />So Im on facebook, um, <strike>occassionally sometimes</strike> okay, quite a bit.&nbsp;&nbsp; I get a bunch of really interesting updates and one was on the accuracy of a relatively new non invasive blood sugar testing instrument.&nbsp;&nbsp; Forgive me if this post is awkward, Ive been up since 4.30am!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; More&nbsp;on that later,&nbsp;&nbsp;it was never my intention to make this blog about diabetes news or advertise products etc, but wouldnt you know it, one of the most popular blogs Ive written is regarding the Animas Vibe.&nbsp;&nbsp; Good news, its already included on the Australian private health&nbsp;cover prosthesis list, and the grapevine told me it would be released Down Under in the second half of the year :)&nbsp;&nbsp; Woo!&nbsp; Great news for Austrayyyyans.<br /><br />I digress. Somehow it gives me hope and comfort to know theres scientists and researchers working not only on a cure, but on better management tools for my son to use in his lifetime.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Pricking your childs finger and making them bleed&nbsp;sucks.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Especially when your strip errors, or you hit a calloused spot and cant get any blood and have to re-do.&nbsp; The early days that would make me cry.&nbsp;&nbsp; Pricking my sleeping baby was...&nbsp; awful.&nbsp;&nbsp; The kid couldnt even catch a break in his sleep.&nbsp;&nbsp; Sad.&nbsp;&nbsp; Whats even sadder is now Ive done thousands neither He nor I flinch anymore. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZXqns8614f8/T-4LRETEasI/AAAAAAAAAO0/SiGwAWG4NH8/s1600/Grove-team%2520063.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZXqns8614f8/T-4LRETEasI/AAAAAAAAAO0/SiGwAWG4NH8/s1600/Grove-team%2520063.jpg" /></a></div>Well, this technology is being developed by <a href="http://www.groveinstruments.com/howitworks.html">GROVE Instruments.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp; It uses near infared glucose detection.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; What is it, and What does it mean?<br /><br />No blood collection<br />No lancets<br />No pain<br />No strips<br />No swabs<br />Battery operated<br />Fits in pockets<br />Takes 20 seconds to measure real time blood glucose<br />See in the picture shes testing her earlobe?&nbsp;&nbsp; Also you can test the fingers according to their site.<br /><br />Incase you havent heard, theres also special&nbsp;<a href="http://techcrunch.com/2009/02/13/tattoo-ink-monitors-blood-glucose-levels/">tattoo ink by Draper Laboratories</a> (nano ink particles) that changes colour according to blood glucose.&nbsp; This is from TechCrunch.com website -<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<strong><em>If the molecules mostly latch onto glucose, the ink appears yellow. If glucose levels are low, the molecule latches onto the glucose mimic, turning the ink purple. A healthy level of glucose has a “funny orangey,” color, according to Clark. The sampling process repeats itself every few milliseconds.</em></strong><br /><br />Theres also people working on using the fluid in the eyes to measure glucose.&nbsp; Apparently it worked in rabbits.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Heres how the LOL cats do it.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wPsmLCKu5vM/T-4OvIEszDI/AAAAAAAAAPA/Tt39ZylWQmA/s1600/LadyOPic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wPsmLCKu5vM/T-4OvIEszDI/AAAAAAAAAPA/Tt39ZylWQmA/s320/LadyOPic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />Hope you all get some much needed rest.&nbsp; Have a great weekend everyone!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-32843926655384926752012-06-22T09:46:00.000+10:002012-06-22T09:46:20.313+10:00No, I didnt feed him too much sugar<br />I accompanied my daughter to&nbsp;a playdate with a kindy friend.&nbsp; Sweet.&nbsp; The 'friends' mother ran into one of her friends.&nbsp;&nbsp; We were introduced and she was invited to stay.&nbsp;&nbsp; This lady asked me questions and said things&nbsp;about diabetes that <em>challenged</em> me.&nbsp;&nbsp; Challenged me<em> not to yell</em> at her.&nbsp; In a previous blog I mentioned how talking about it, telling people, educating people is where Im at.&nbsp; I dont cry anymore..but I may out of frustration.<br /><br /><em><strong>What on earth did you feed him?</strong></em><br /><br />I had started to answer, he was a baby.&nbsp;&nbsp; He predominantly breastfed, but had some finger foods and puree fruits and veges.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br />Then, the penny.dropped.com.<br /><br />Suddenly I saw where it was a going - a wicked winding path leading me all the way to self guilt and blame.&nbsp;&nbsp;[Which btw I never bought and never will]. &nbsp;Was she trying in&nbsp;all her splendid maternal&nbsp;superiority&nbsp;to be sure she wasnt such a bad mother and caused her child to 'catch' type 1 diabetes through too much sugar.&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br />Duh.&nbsp; The public needs more education, dude.<br /><br />Yup I pinned him down and jammed copious sugar into him at 8 months. Yup thats it, you got it.&nbsp;&nbsp; Clearly she didnt know that type 1 diabetes isnt a lifestyle disease like type 2.&nbsp; I tried to say simply that food has nothing to do with it until the diagnosis and managing the disease.<br /><br />As for the amputated legs/Dad died at the driving wheel while hypoglycaemic/cousin went blind I zoned out.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;For her safety.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LXejZIT9eAY/T-Oxyt4jAlI/AAAAAAAAAOo/1kEC7Z_EqSo/s1600/coaster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LXejZIT9eAY/T-Oxyt4jAlI/AAAAAAAAAOo/1kEC7Z_EqSo/s1600/coaster.jpg" /></a></div>Endo appt this week, we were told to give no basal insulin at night.&nbsp;&nbsp; Reuben isnt to be corrected before bed, as hes dropping like crazy.&nbsp;&nbsp; The endo said it was highly unusual.&nbsp;&nbsp; He said perhaps the day time basal is running longer than 12 hours?&nbsp; Who knows Levemir only just got FDA approval for 2-5year olds and weve been using it 2 + years already and it never ran over 12 hours before.&nbsp;&nbsp; Apparently the honeymoon is over and Dr isnt sure why the night hypos are happening.&nbsp;&nbsp; Its tiring and bit scary.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; So we are to do this 2 weeks to check our Novorapid ratio of 1:30 is correct for dinner.<br /><br />Long story short, its just a thrilling part of the rollercoaster that is diabetes in our toddler.<br />Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-53677921331433041382012-05-16T10:09:00.002+10:002012-05-16T10:24:15.193+10:006 month break? really?<br /><br />Sheesh! Its really been 6months since I last blogged?&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br />Diabetes is still a huge part of our lives, by necessity of course.&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br />Does it still torment me?&nbsp; Yes and No.&nbsp; <br /><br />It really does get better.&nbsp;&nbsp;I seem to talk about it alot more now, without crying, without falling apart.&nbsp;&nbsp; Maybe by educating people we can save a childs life.&nbsp; (1 in 800&nbsp;kids isnt a small statistic).&nbsp;&nbsp;Its almost been 2 years of tests and needles and swag-ing carbs.&nbsp; <br /><br />The 30th May marks Reubens anniversary of diagnosis, and the 31st, the first day of the rest of our lives- iykwim!<br /><br />Looking back, now I just want to say for&nbsp;parents of&nbsp;newly diagnosed babies, toddlers and children - <br /><br />allow yourself all the emotions you need to cope; being pissed off is normal; anger and bitterness; tears and questions; <br /><br />allow yourself to grieve and feel that sense of loss, of your freedom, way of life, of your 'healthy' child, the goodbyes you say to the plans you laid.&nbsp;&nbsp; it takes time, and allow yourself that freedom.&nbsp; it will make you a better d-rent.<br /><br />allow yourself to be mediocre at diabetes at first.&nbsp;&nbsp; dont beat yourself up.&nbsp; &nbsp;we are all learning everyday and this isnt a small learning curve.... diabetes management is a full time job.<br /><br />allow unhealthy people and relationships to move from your life.&nbsp;&nbsp; you have to de-clutter.<br /><br />another sobering thought is ; yes this sucks ; but it could always be worse.&nbsp; <br /><br />we are moving forwards, we have&nbsp;alot less of those terrifying <em>wth?!! where did that come from</em> type of hypo episodes.&nbsp;&nbsp; we are better organised and more methodical in our approach.&nbsp; Reuben is communicating better everyday and this helps.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Hes eating better and very active, so this is positive.<br /><br />remember that the Lord chose <em><strong>you</strong></em> to parent this child with diabetes, thats truly special to think on.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PJN4Q1gSJHI/T7LznUK-SjI/AAAAAAAAAOc/68MSO0wUM7g/s1600/cheekymonkey.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PJN4Q1gSJHI/T7LznUK-SjI/AAAAAAAAAOc/68MSO0wUM7g/s320/cheekymonkey.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-24516412773770538272011-11-22T14:20:00.000+10:002011-11-22T14:20:20.927+10:00In the news<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mXjVB53jLX0/Tssb_50uQGI/AAAAAAAAAOI/ZZoWuWFmztQ/s1600/the-tslim-pump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mXjVB53jLX0/Tssb_50uQGI/AAAAAAAAAOI/ZZoWuWFmztQ/s1600/the-tslim-pump.jpg" /></a></div>It looks like a schmancy mobile phone or mp 3 player, right?&nbsp;&nbsp; Well its actually an insulin pump.&nbsp; In fact, the first-ever with a color touch screen, and is the smallest insulin pump system currently available.&nbsp;&nbsp; Its gotten the 'aye' from the US Food and Drug Administration to head to market.&nbsp;&nbsp; Its SLIM as its name suggests,&nbsp; and was designed to make diabetes management <span style="font-size: large;">easier to teach and easier to learn.</span> Additional user-oriented features of this insulin pump include an eco-friendly rechargeable battery and USB connectivity to a web-based therapy management software.&nbsp;&nbsp; Gives us hope right that theres activity going on to improve life for type 1's.<br /><br />Another thing you may be interested in is the progress of the&nbsp;artificial pancreas trial in Israel, <br />to watch the video click <a href="http://asweetlife.org/a-sweet-life-staff/featured/must-see-video-the-artificial-pancreas-in-action/21243/">HERE</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp; I have to warn you it choked me up - I literally needed tissues.&nbsp;&nbsp; I think its the anticipation and&nbsp;the idea that there can be a management tool in my lifetime that can take alot of the stress out of Reubens management.<br /><br />Did you see this over the internet this month?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The JDRF published this to push the FDA.&nbsp; <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bPq7bDBsgjM/Tssh-cSnMkI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/ZOp6ty43P8A/s1600/321674_2648572178722_1388222386_3206690_1199252128_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bPq7bDBsgjM/Tssh-cSnMkI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/ZOp6ty43P8A/s640/321674_2648572178722_1388222386_3206690_1199252128_n.jpg" width="337" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />Finally an update on Dr Faustman working towards a cure for type&nbsp;1 diabetes&nbsp;- if you dont know much about her work read up! &nbsp;-<br /><a href="http://faustmanlab.org/clinicaltrial/fact_sheet.pdf">HERE</a>&nbsp; they are currently raising funds for a phase II trial.Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-4550341433547276712011-11-14T05:15:00.000+10:002011-11-14T05:15:15.099+10:00I almost forgot he had diabetesYesterday was fun.&nbsp;&nbsp;Spring sunshine, happy kids.&nbsp; Danger Dad was in his element, trotting off to the store for a new paddle pool, waterguns and&nbsp;slip n slide (the other one ripped from overuse- Danger Dad is the kinda person who ignores the warnings that things should only be used the way manufacturers intended!)&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br />Lets just say that spreading it out over the trampoline and down the slippery slide so the kids can be soapy&nbsp;human torpedos.. <em>will rip your slip n slide.</em><br /><br />I had to laugh watching my youngest line up with the big kids waiting for their turns on the slip n slide - getting soaped and wizzing down getting sprayed in his sweet chubby face.&nbsp; <br /><br />I chatted away happily&nbsp;but after&nbsp;awhile I noticed Reuben had drawn away from the other children.&nbsp;&nbsp; He was sitting on a little concrete block in the shade of a gardenia bush, looking on quietly.&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br /><em>Somethings not right.</em><br /><br />The day was so fun I wished silently that he didnt have diabetes.&nbsp;&nbsp; Not angrily, just sad that he felt himself dropping and had to draw away from the fun to deal with what he was feeling physically.&nbsp;&nbsp; I ran upstairs for his gear and tested him.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He was low.&nbsp;&nbsp; Softdrink and chocolate later, he was back in the action.<br /><br /><em>Yesterday I almost forgot he had diabetes.</em>Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-88828984031130170262011-11-10T10:45:00.000+10:002011-11-10T10:45:29.351+10:00Omnipod in Australia<span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">I posted previously about the tubeless insulin pump, the<span style="font-size: x-large;"> omnipod</span> and how it isnt available in Australia.&nbsp; My position isnt to tell you that tubing/no tubing is the way to go my concern is that when new diabetes technologies enter the market they arent welcomed as options that may help with the management of type 1 - for somebody.&nbsp;&nbsp; (Think affordable CGM's and artificial pancreas!)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Today a good friend emailed me an update - </span><br /><br /><div class="yiv309808715MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Omnipod: petition update</span></b></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></div><span style="font-family: Consolas;"><div class="yiv309808715MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The reality of&nbsp;getting Omnipod in Australia still remains in doubt according to CTL the supplier in Australia.</span></span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Apparently a new model of the Omnipod will be available early next year in Europe, this gives us time to energise our petition and increase our noise level&nbsp;to try and get the Federal Health Minister to help us get access to the Omnipod in Australia. </span></span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tSI2so1weCo/Trsa3Nt7w4I/AAAAAAAAAN4/0oqDjeJdoNI/s1600/teaser-mylife-omnipod-next-generation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><img border="0" ida="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tSI2so1weCo/Trsa3Nt7w4I/AAAAAAAAAN4/0oqDjeJdoNI/s1600/teaser-mylife-omnipod-next-generation.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="yiv309808715MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">See link for details of the new Omnipod&nbsp;</span><a href="wlmailhtml:{A14934EB-1C83-45BE-8F48-6717EA0E8C95}mid://00000044/!x-usc:http://en.mylife-diabetescare.com/mylife-omnipod-overview.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: small;">http://en.mylife-diabetescare.com/mylife-omnipod-overview.html</span></a></span></span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background: white;"></span></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ixvnEscVKlo/Trsa-3HpWLI/AAAAAAAAAOA/PeBSfLDUHzk/s1600/mylife-omnipod-next-generation-flatter-pod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="168" ida="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ixvnEscVKlo/Trsa-3HpWLI/AAAAAAAAAOA/PeBSfLDUHzk/s320/mylife-omnipod-next-generation-flatter-pod.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background: white;"></span></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="yiv309808715MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">There are now&nbsp;699 of us who have joined our online petition&nbsp;( </span><a href="http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/omnipod-in-australia.html"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp;)which is great but we need to make more noise&nbsp;to convince the Federal Health Minister, Nicola Roxon&nbsp;to change the unfair reimbursement policies that will enable us to get access to the Omnipod in Australia. </span></span></span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white;"></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white;">We have decided to turn our efforts into&nbsp;c</span><span style="background: white;">ontacting the two key Diabetes Organsisations and ask them to lobby government to change the unfair policy that is stopping the Omnipod reaching Australia and going onto the chat rooms and spreading the message.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span style="background: white;"></span></span></span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: large;">&nbsp;</span></span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Attached&nbsp;is a list of other contacts and addresses for diabetes organisations and other contacts you may wish to write to.</span></span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></div><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="yiv309808715MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You may also contact Nick Xenophon who I understand has already been approached by several parents from South Australia.&nbsp; Level 2/31 Ebenezer Place, Adelaide </span><a href="wlmailhtml:{A14934EB-1C83-45BE-8F48-6717EA0E8C95}mid://00000044/!x-usc:mailto:senator.xenophon@aph.gov.au" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Email Nick Xenophon" ymailto="mailto:senator.xenophon@aph.gov.au"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: large;">senator.xenophon@aph.gov.au</span></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: large;">&nbsp;Tel: 08 8232 1144 Fax: 08 8232 3744</span></span></div></span></span><div class="yiv309808715MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: large;">&nbsp;</span></span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I wish I had more positive news, let's start making some more noise&nbsp;.</span></span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cheers Alex</span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: large;">** ** ** **</span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wanna help?</span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="yiv309808715MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Heres the attached list of contacts - </span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="yiv309808715MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #303030; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Mrs Carol Bennett </span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #303030; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Consumer Health Forum</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #303030; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">POBox3099 </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #303030; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Manuka ACT&nbsp;2603</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="mailto:info@chf.org.au" title=" Click to send an email to CHF "><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">info@chf.org.au</span></span></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Mrs Patricia McKenzie</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">President, Diabetes Australia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>GPO BOX 3156</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">CANBERRA&nbsp;ACT&nbsp;2601</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="mailto:admin@diabetesaustralia.com"><span style="color: blue; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">admin@diabetesaustralia.com</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Mr Lewis Kaplan</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">CEO Diabetes Australia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>GPO BOX 3156</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">CANBERRA&nbsp; ACT&nbsp; 2601</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="mailto:lkaplan@diabetesaustralia.com.au"><span style="color: blue; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">lkaplan@diabetesaustralia.com.au</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><b>Mrs Susan Alberti</b>, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #3f3f3f; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 9pt;">President, </span></strong>JDRF<strong><span style="color: #3f3f3f; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 9pt;"></span></strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Level4, 80-84ChandosSt</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">St Leonards NSW 2065</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="mailto:dansu@dansu.com.au"><span style="color: blue; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">dansu@dansu.com.au</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Mr Mike Wilson</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">CEO, JDRF</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Level4, 80-84ChandosSt</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">St Leonards NSW 2065</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="mailto:mwilson@jdrf.org.au"><span style="color: blue; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">mwilson@jdrf.org.au</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">John Douglas</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Director, Closing The Loop Pty Ltd</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">PO Box 120 </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">West Ryde NSW 1685</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="mailto:info@closingtheloop.com.au"><span style="color: blue; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">info@closingtheloop.com.au</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #505050; display: none; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 9pt; mso-hide: all;">Chair of the Parliamentary Diabetes Support GroupChair of the Parliamentary Diabetes Support GroupChair of the Parliamentary Diabetes Support Group</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Parliamentary Diabetes Support Group</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Chair, The Hon Judy Molan MP </span><a href="mailto:J.Moylan.MP@aph.gov.au"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">J.Moylan.MP@aph.gov.au</span></span></a><span style="color: #505050; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #424242; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Dr Mal Washer MP </span></span><a href="mailto:mal.washer.mp@aph.gov.au"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">mal.washer.mp@aph.gov.au</span></span></a><span style="color: #424242; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 9pt;"></span></div><div style="background: white;"><span style="color: #505050; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Steve Georganas MP </span></span><a href="mailto:Steve.Georganas.MP@aph.gov.au"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Steve.Georganas.MP@aph.gov.au</span></span></a><span style="color: #505050; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">For your local federal member of parliament go to;</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Chat rooms to visit and add comments</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.realitycheck.org.au/RCforum/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">http://www.realitycheck.org.au/RCforum/</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.muntedpancreas.com/forum/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">http://www.muntedpancreas.com/forum/</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></div><div class="yiv309808715MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div></span>Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-65602327013101524232011-11-06T06:45:00.000+10:002011-11-06T06:45:15.377+10:00The orange box<span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Theres some things about diabetes that we dont talk about alot.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">But we freaking should.&nbsp;&nbsp; My husband and I are 18 months into this journey as pseudo - pancreas (es?)&nbsp;.&nbsp;&nbsp; Is pancreaii a word?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">The long orange box is one of those things.&nbsp;&nbsp; (<em>The... ahem...one with the big needle inside</em>).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Its almost as if talking about it may cause us to have to use, though we understand that to be just fear.&nbsp;&nbsp; The panic. </span><br /><br /><strong><em><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">But truly we should be educating everyone around us on this life saving orange box as well.</span></em></strong><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Everywhere we go, we take Reubens hypo kit.&nbsp;&nbsp; Its been a complicated thing having to treat lows in a baby.&nbsp; When Reuben was 8 months, 9 months old he didnt think much of juice and lemonade.&nbsp;&nbsp; You could barely get him to take the things he needed to treat mild low blood sugars.&nbsp;&nbsp; We had a few serious low episodes but we managed to squeeze some glucogel in his mouth and keep some of it there.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Its been a fearful time finding things he will accept to bring him up.&nbsp;&nbsp; Now that hes 2 years old, weve been able to expand his '<em>odds on Reuben taking this hypofix despite the confusion and the fight' </em>food list and include things like soft lollies and lollypops.&nbsp; (Pop-pops to Reubs).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Thankfully now the hypo kit isnt jammed full of 'options', we just carry, juice, lollipops,&nbsp;glucojel, some soft&nbsp;lollies and the orange box.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Soooo - heres the piccy and a quick run down on glucagon&nbsp;- </span><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rY4prQhkWVI/TrWYMpCytYI/AAAAAAAAAM4/NJAV9eEGe84/s1600/glucagon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="153" ida="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rY4prQhkWVI/TrWYMpCytYI/AAAAAAAAAM4/NJAV9eEGe84/s320/glucagon.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><br /><strong><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">GLUCAGON - What is it?</span></strong><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Think of it as <span style="color: red; font-size: large;">LIFESAVING.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Put in simple terms, it&nbsp;functions as the opposite&nbsp;of insulin.&nbsp; (Insulin is also life saving).&nbsp;&nbsp; Insulin lowers blood sugar, glucagon raises it where there has been insulin reaction (seizures, unconsciousness).&nbsp; Obviously unconscious persons cannot eat or drink the sugar they need to raise blood sugar, so the next step is glucagon.</span><br /><br /><div style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Gulcagon is not sugar. It is a chemical that causes the liver to release its stores of glucose into the person's bloodstream. This "jolt" will last somewhere around 90 minutes after which they will still need emergency help as soon as possible.</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">The instructions inside the orange box are easy to follow - remove cap on vial, squeeze the liquid from the syringe into the vial, shake to dissolve the white powder, draw up the dose, and inject subcutaneously like you do insulin.&nbsp;&nbsp; 1/2 dose mark indicates for small kids, and full dose for bigger bodies....</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">We havent had to use it... yet.&nbsp;&nbsp; But everytime theres a lower low.&nbsp; Or.&nbsp;&nbsp; Everytime we have vomitting or gastro.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We.brush.up.&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Just to be sure</span>.</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Im grateful each morning when I see Reubens chubby little face and feel his soft baby skin and smell his baby sweetness as he kisses me good morning - and I havent had to administer glucagon.&nbsp;&nbsp; Grateful I am. </span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span>&nbsp;</div>Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-31516821010744077492011-11-03T12:48:00.000+10:002011-11-03T12:48:27.153+10:00Educating others about diabetes...<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mSeA7f1iYlQ?fs=1" width="480"></iframe><br /><br />What can you do for &nbsp;DIABETES AWARENESS?<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;"><strong>Consider participating in the big blue test, see video above.</strong></span><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: blue;">Wear blue clothing and accessories on Fridays in NOVEMBER</span></strong>&nbsp;&nbsp; see the video below. <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>&nbsp;<iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/d4jha40fok8?feature=player_embedded' FRAMEBORDER='0' />If someone asks tell them about diabetes and the impact its had on your loved one and your lives.&nbsp; On November 14th, World Diabetes Day, Bantings birthday (discovery of insulin was made by Banting, Best&nbsp;and associates.)&nbsp;&nbsp; The day has been recognised since 1991, and was instituted by the International Diabetes Federation.&nbsp;&nbsp; The theme until 2013 apprently is Prevention and Education am I wrong in saying here that yet again, the focus seems to be on Type 2?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The blue circle symbolises unity of the global diabetes community in response to the diabetes pandemic.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Change your profile pictures to blue&nbsp;in November and particularly on&nbsp;14th of November.<br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j07JGo5JlBc/TrHxJewGJcI/AAAAAAAAAMU/YTObgUO9lDw/s1600/circle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_uid_3k8767="112" ida="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j07JGo5JlBc/TrHxJewGJcI/AAAAAAAAAMU/YTObgUO9lDw/s1600/circle.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">On another note, familiarise yourself with the symptoms of type 1 diabetes&nbsp;- the onset can be rapid and fatal if not correctly diagnosed. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><li>Being excessively thirsty </li><br /><li>Passing more urine</li><br /><li>Feeling tired and lethargic</li><br /><li>Always feeling hungry</li><br /><li>Having cuts that heal slowly </li><br /><li>Itching, skin infections</li><br /><li>Blurred vision </li><br /><li>Unexplained weight loss </li><br /><li>Mood swings</li><br /><li>Headaches </li><br /><li>Feeling dizzy</li><br /><li>Leg cramps</li><br />(per diabetes australia).<br /><br />If you dont beleive me on the vague symptoms, read our diagnosis story -&nbsp; <a href="http://bittersweetdiabetes.blogspot.com/p/reubens-diagnosis-story.html">HERE</a><br /><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-88014230253532597892011-11-02T14:50:00.000+10:002011-11-02T14:50:19.123+10:00November November.. a busy month.<span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Big things going on in November.&nbsp;&nbsp; On a personal note,&nbsp;&nbsp;a couple of Birthdays - &nbsp;My daughter turns 4.&nbsp;&nbsp; My husband gets older...(ahem).&nbsp;&nbsp; I have a parent night for my daughters transition to big girl kindergarten (yay!),&nbsp; and some vaccinations, dental appointments (eek), the usual rounds of music, dancing, swimming and tennis...&nbsp;and to wrap it all up at the end of the month, an endocrinologist appointment and the dreaded hba1c...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Anyhoo - </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">November is big because it is<span style="color: blue;">&nbsp;Diabetes Awareness Month.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">November the 1st was Type 1 Day</span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">and</span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">November the 14th is WORLD DIABETES DAY</span><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c1yhBPg653E/TrDKq0rdmgI/AAAAAAAAAME/_XKUHy3ZJ5Q/s1600/diabetesday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ida="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c1yhBPg653E/TrDKq0rdmgI/AAAAAAAAAME/_XKUHy3ZJ5Q/s1600/diabetesday.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">If I could educate others about<span style="color: blue;"> diabetes</span> - what would I&nbsp;</span>say?</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I would say my son has a chronic illness.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">&nbsp;His pancreas doesnt work.&nbsp; I beleive it began to shut down when he was a tiny little baby and by 8 months his body was so sick he was admitted to emergency and we almost lost him due to lack of knowledge and routine sugar testing in our GP's office.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">His childhood, whilst I fight for it to be as normal as possible, it isnt.&nbsp;&nbsp; He cannot be with any adult who isnt aware how to care for him and his diabetes.&nbsp; He cannot be anywhere without his medical supplies and appropriate carbs.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He no longer makes insulin and we need to inject insulin into his body.&nbsp;&nbsp; For everything he eats.&nbsp;&nbsp; At the moment its 2 needles&nbsp;at morning, and&nbsp;2 at night.&nbsp;&nbsp; Some regimes we've been on mean around 6 needles everyday.&nbsp; Carbohydrates without insulin are poisonous to his body, and high sugar levels result in dangerous&nbsp;toxic by products called ketones.&nbsp; Insulin without carbohydrates result in scary low blood sugar episodes.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I cannot say with any certainty whether my son is okay or not.&nbsp;&nbsp; You cannot 'guess' a blood sugar by looking at him. You have to&nbsp;take his finger or toe, and lance some blood and check his levels.&nbsp;&nbsp; Heartbreakingly, we have to peirce&nbsp;his skin repeatedly, on average 8-10 times a day and through the night.&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We try to predict by looking for patterns, but I cannot say with any assurance that he will be in range from the decisions we make, or that he will be high/low or that&nbsp;he will wake up tomorrow at all. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I do know he wont 'get better' he wont 'grow out of it' he continues to require insulin until there is a cure.&nbsp;&nbsp; Sadly <span style="color: blue;">diabetes</span> is an invisible illness, so people think we have it 'under control'....&nbsp;but&nbsp;parents (type 3's) and pwd, &nbsp;have to so intensively manage the disease it often leads to depression and burn out.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I cannot say that <span style="color: blue;">diabetes</span> is as 'manageable'&nbsp;in a baby and toddler as&nbsp;the brave faces at the hospital let on...&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I do know there is very little education about diabetes - plenty of ignorance, and mistaking it for type 2 or what little&nbsp;people know about it.&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Type 2 is essentially&nbsp;a different disease, but gets all the media spotlight/funding.&nbsp; </span>&nbsp;I do know they are now discovering genetic causes of diabetes that until recently were always just treated like type 1.<br /><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I know there isnt enough education for doctors in general practice.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Not enough info and awareness&nbsp;for parents who find themselves with a child with a mystery illness... desperately trying to get help.&nbsp;&nbsp; Type 1 children can die before being correctly diagnosed, or not being diagnosed quickly enough.&nbsp;&nbsp; They can also die from high sugars and untreated low sugars.&nbsp;&nbsp; This is serious stuff.</span><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yuGvSg2Y9XA/TrDK3cqWbBI/AAAAAAAAAMM/jXTKoJgg0jg/s1600/curediabetes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ida="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yuGvSg2Y9XA/TrDK3cqWbBI/AAAAAAAAAMM/jXTKoJgg0jg/s1600/curediabetes.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Despite the fact that&nbsp;one in around 800 school children in Australia will have type 1, there is a lack of support - in the community, kindergartens,&nbsp;in schools, at the hospital.</span></div><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="color: blue;">Our kids&nbsp;dont seem to have a voice.</span> </span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Is it because they are children?&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-67364697167913710892011-10-27T13:10:00.000+10:002011-10-27T13:10:19.886+10:00PAWS for Diabetics IncFor some reason I was trawling the net and&nbsp;happened across an Aussie charitable organisation called PAWS for Diabetics Inc.&nbsp;<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u1Vm89wcv58/TqjKfLq53lI/AAAAAAAAAL8/F5VKG5T3FFE/s1600/logo-OLD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="91" ida="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u1Vm89wcv58/TqjKfLq53lI/AAAAAAAAAL8/F5VKG5T3FFE/s320/logo-OLD.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pfd.org.au/index.html">http://www.pfd.org.au/index.html</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />&nbsp;They are non profit and train and place assistance dogs for diabetic persons.&nbsp; <br />Dogs are trained to alert impending hypos. (Low blood sugar, which if untreated promptly can lead to seizures, coma and&nbsp;death).<br /><br />Since my blog is written specifically to the DOC, I guess there arent many folks reading without knowledge of type 1 diabetes, but heres an example of how quickly this can happen.<br /><br />Wake at 7am.&nbsp;&nbsp; Have bacon, eggs and toast for breakfast.&nbsp; Dose insulin to correct, a basal to carry him through the day, and enough to cover the food.&nbsp;&nbsp; The carbs to be counted in this breakkie would be for the toast.<br />9am - Busy playing, all looks good.<br />10am - Morning tea.&nbsp; Reubens BGL is 2.1, hes crying, whingey, hands shaking and seems confused.&nbsp;He needs 5 jelly beans before he can have his morning tea.&nbsp;<br /><br />Imagine if I didnt do additional testing and only tested when the hospital says to - breakfast,lunch,dinner and possibly overnight if you WANT.&nbsp; Seriously.&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br />Now my dog (Millie is a one year old Bichon Frise)&nbsp;has alerted us of hypo episodes when&nbsp;Reuben is low enough to begin shaking.&nbsp;&nbsp; But then she has also alerted over some highs, which confused us, probably confused the heck outta her too.<br /><br />Read the profiles on <a href="http://www.pfd.org.au/profiles_training.html">PAWS for diabetics website.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp; The dogs would truly be a blessing to diabetic persons, since in this backward country of ours, CGMS are incredibly expensive and most models not even available.&nbsp; Plus you would&nbsp;have a friend also!<br /><br />Maybe in a few years.Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-38490714409278147942011-10-26T10:57:00.000+10:002011-10-26T10:57:59.723+10:00The exorcist, Aztecs and AnxietyHis body writhed and his arms punched the air, presumably trying to lash at me and make me stop.&nbsp; He repeatedly screeched Heelp heeelp helppp! and threw his head from side to side with gusto.<br />Restraining his arms and legs and trying to get his head still was almost impossible to execute.&nbsp;&nbsp; Beads of sweat formed on my forehead from the exertion.<br /><br />And then it happened.<br /><br />It was the horrible.<br /><br />Like something from the exorcist.&nbsp;&nbsp; My beautiful sweet son gurgled and projectile spat his antibiotics, which I had only just administered,&nbsp;right into my face.&nbsp;&nbsp; The pink pungent goop ran down my face and neck leaving some markings Basquiat would be proud of.&nbsp;&nbsp; Who wouldve thought 5mls would feel like so much when hit in the eye with it?<br /><br />I was cranky.&nbsp;&nbsp; This isnt my first rodeo with Reuben and antibiotics he wont swallow.&nbsp;&nbsp; This past week he has gotten a staph infection... in his eye.&nbsp; :(&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We have&nbsp;to give this horrendous stuff to him every 6 hours and the dr wants to see him again Thurs to make sure its clearing.&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br />Yesterday I thought I'd get sneaky after a night of him&nbsp;spitting the medicine, and surreptitiously administer inside some coke.&nbsp;&nbsp;My sister even agreed it was worth a try. &nbsp;Coke is to my kids what Gold and Cocoa were to the Aztecs.&nbsp;&nbsp; Mixed&nbsp;together I kidded myself it looked like a cherry coke.&nbsp;&nbsp; Yummy, right?!&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Obviously didnt taste that way,&nbsp;&nbsp;as Reubs is a smart little cookie, he screwed up his nose, dumped the bottle no matter how much pleading I did.&nbsp;&nbsp; Imagine my <strike>pissed-off-ed-ness</strike>&nbsp; surprise when&nbsp;he went to the fridge for his sugar free lemonade instead!<br /><br />This blog is going somewhere -&nbsp;I promise!&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Curiously if I had to sum up life with a diabetic child in one word - it wouldnt be difficult, tiring or even bittersweet.<br /><br />Before you peek at my answer...&nbsp;&nbsp; what word would you use to describe being a D-rent/Type 3 or a Type 1/2 as the case may be....<br /><br />...Id emphatically say life with a diabetic child has been...<br />..<br />..<br />..<br />..<br />..<br />..<br /><br />ANXIOUS.<br /><br />It sucks ass.&nbsp; You worry non stop and for very good reason.&nbsp;&nbsp; This disease dictates to you all day and night and threatens your child with yucky dangerous symptoms and complications.<br /><br />Your mind isnt free to rest.<br /><br />So the dialogue on a normal day is pretty busy busy.<br /><br />The dialogue when your 2 year old has a nasty spreading staph infection in his eye ball where he MUST take antibiotics to clear it up, OR (this is where anxiety goes into hyper-drive because you know the rest of the story) the OR is we end up in hospital, hubby has time off work, R has a&nbsp;drip in his arm&nbsp;with a IV dose of antibiotics, and hes more miserable than if he'd just submit and swallow the damn medicine!<br /><br />Then theres the things I havent ever thought of&nbsp;before but since things like having a child with Type 1 Diabetes happen to "other people" and Im now one of those "other people"...&nbsp;&nbsp; they pop in to visit occassionally...<br /><br />being hit by lightning/hale/flying debris in a storm<br />a small plane/big plane/fighter jet/helicopter&nbsp;crashing out of the sky<br />a tree falling on you in a storm<br />a tree falling on power lines and falling on you or your house<br />a tree falling on your car <br />and on it goes ...&nbsp; <br /><br />until you say STOP.<br />&nbsp;Really.&nbsp;&nbsp; I have to say enough.<br /><br />Some things I can cross off the list if Im reasonable enough.<br /><br />I called the electricity company about the tree branches hanging over the power lines, and we dont go out in storms.&nbsp;&nbsp; That eliminates at least numbers 1,3 and 4.<br /><br />I decided you wonderful people are right, I need&nbsp;more sleep.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I need rest to cope with the demands of diabetes.&nbsp; I need to insist on time away from the constant care, where I switch off.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Last night I even dreamed for the first time, of diabetes.&nbsp;&nbsp; I was testing myself in my freaking sleep!!<br /><br />Gotta draw that line.Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-7241451135999252562011-10-20T08:52:00.000+10:002011-10-20T08:52:15.298+10:00Time for a new lookTime to update and revamp and overhaul... <br /><br />The&nbsp; blog that is.<br /><br />Lately weve&nbsp;been&nbsp;revising things in our&nbsp;personal life too, throwing out, sorting, packing into boxes.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Maybe Im grasping at straws, mistaking&nbsp;the sense that if Im in possession of an organised pantry, wardrobe or linen cupboard, that somehow Im in control of diabetes.&nbsp;&nbsp; Having the salt besides the pepper, and the quinoa with the polenta matters - and soothes.&nbsp;&nbsp;Its strokes me and holds me&nbsp;after treating a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/Understanding-Diabetes/What-is-Diabetes/Hypoglycaemia/#Symptoms of Hypoglycaemia">1.9</a>&nbsp;that leaves me shaken and agitated.&nbsp; It&nbsp;somehow&nbsp;makes up for the&nbsp;<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetic_Ketoacidosis">24.8</a> that registers on the meter...and therefore nullifies&nbsp;my inadequacy as a pancreas.&nbsp;&nbsp; Matching shoes lined up take the sting out of the thought of future diabetic <a href="http://www.jdrf.org.au/living-with-type-1-diabetes/type-1-diabetes-complications">complications.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You get the gist.&nbsp;&nbsp; And you also know its bullcrap and artificial.&nbsp; <br /><br />Maybe the idea that if I plaster on some make up everything is ok with me?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If I just get enough concealer on my eyes it wont show that I havent slept in 17months since diagnosis.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If&nbsp;only I sacrifice enough for my kids, I can somehow win back the normal healthy child that I mourn.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GfkC4WcaNXI/Tp9SlPZMvHI/AAAAAAAAAL0/VSLGhKLDHzU/s1600/samsung+2011+170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GfkC4WcaNXI/Tp9SlPZMvHI/AAAAAAAAAL0/VSLGhKLDHzU/s320/samsung+2011+170.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Maybe if Im hostile enough - you wont see the fear.&nbsp;&nbsp; The fear that my sons life hangs in the balance each day and night and that I know its my responsibility.&nbsp;<br /><br />Its a pretty heavy load to carry.<br /><br />&nbsp;My husband is my best helper and yet, he doesnt manage Reubens pancreas like it was his own.&nbsp; Lets&nbsp;just say,&nbsp;Reubs is Chief Executive Officer, Im Regional Manager, and hubby is Assistant to the&nbsp;Regional Manager (Thankyou Dwight Schrute).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; He can drop off for an arvo&nbsp;snooze without as much as a moments thought because why wouldnt he... he knows someone else is ALWAYS awake caring for Reuben.&nbsp;&nbsp; (That would be me).&nbsp;&nbsp; Me, I cant nap knowing Reubens got active climbing&nbsp;insulin on board, maybe didnt eat the right type and quantitiy of carbs, heck I cant even sleep if Ive treated a low or dosed for a high, until I see it through.&nbsp;&nbsp; Every night I make sure to stay awake long enough so that theres only 4 hours between my bedtime and hubbys morning alarm.&nbsp; <br /><br />My fuse is short.&nbsp;&nbsp; Not going to pretend on that one, the anger is definately there still.&nbsp;&nbsp; The most sensible&nbsp;thing I can do is stay out of situations that make me want to rip someones head off.&nbsp; <br /><br />I cancelled one of my daughters activities in a moment of fury.&nbsp;&nbsp; Honestly, I dont need to pay someone to yell at my kids.&nbsp;&nbsp; As well as anger, Im overwhelmed.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mostly its all just too much.&nbsp;&nbsp; Like stuffing a bag full of items, and knowing full well there isnt enough room, the bag stretches&nbsp;and splits and its innards spill out.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Thats me, and my bloody&nbsp;emotional entrails.&nbsp; I&nbsp;dont like it, but there it is.&nbsp;&nbsp; Im an honest person.<br /><br />I dont have the fortitude to listen to someone tell me I gave my son diabetes because of gestational diabetes (which I did not have, thankyou very much).There isnt&nbsp;actually any&nbsp;link between gestational and type 1 anyway -&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; so shut your ignorant ass up.&nbsp;&nbsp; I hate it when people tell us&nbsp;dont worry, my son will get better as he gets older.&nbsp;&nbsp; That he can take tablets one day, that he will grow out of it.&nbsp;&nbsp; That perhaps the doctors are wrong.&nbsp; Okay okay.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Chia seeds, honey and cinnamon may help, but they wont CURE F*CKING DIABETES.<br /><br />I hope&nbsp;my&nbsp;sister&nbsp;doesnt mind me sharing, but this was written to me this week after my most recent 'episode' an hour and a half sobbing to her sympathetic ear...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<em> "...least I can try to be there for you emotionally.&nbsp; Dont let that f*cker D kick your&nbsp;&nbsp;ass.&nbsp; You are too good and as you learn to be a better pancreas for Reubs it wont have as much power over you.&nbsp;&nbsp; You are phenomenal and your strength really does inspire me!.&nbsp; Love you lots x."</em><br /><br /><br />She said another profound thing to me, that I put so much pressure on myself.&nbsp;&nbsp; Perhaps its an illusion that everyone else has got it all together and manages fabulous control and I beat myself with it.&nbsp;&nbsp; I definately dont like the feeling of not being good at stuff and Diabetes is so changeable and a beast to learn to manage and add to that the nature of the toddler.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Undoubtedly this is THE most challenging and testing thing Ive ever had to do.&nbsp;&nbsp; Will I ever feel like I'm coping?<br /><br />Great news, my Mummy is here to stay awhile, and we are going to the craft show together.&nbsp;&nbsp; Apparently arm knitting and crochet and recycled fashion sewing is popular this year (thank goodness, I dont think I could enjoy another year of buttons and paper tole!)Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-52222768706825158662011-10-18T12:21:00.000+10:002011-10-18T12:21:41.276+10:00A few steps forwards<span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Honestly, I know why toddlers are so darn chubby and cute.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Their behaviour is off.the.charts.ridiculous. Its in their survival&nbsp;interests to be adorable<strong> so we keep them.&nbsp; </strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Today on the way to school drop off, I let Reuben walk.&nbsp; Hes been waking with a higher than optimal&nbsp;blood sugar and figure its a good way for him to kickstart the morning, rather than cruising in the pram. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">We prepare to leave a few minutes earlier (probably shouldve factored in an extra half an hour)&nbsp;to allow his little leggies time to warm up.&nbsp;&nbsp; Hes got his new sandals and some socks to protect his tootsies, so we set out the ONE BLOCK up to school.&nbsp;&nbsp; It takes me about 3.5minutes to dash up there each day before the bell rings.&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Sans kids that is!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">The trip is four of us.&nbsp;&nbsp; My eldest son, and&nbsp;his sister,&nbsp;a 3 year old who insists on being a<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em> princess, drifting along, collecting flowers and all the while stroking her hair and showing off&nbsp;her sparkly shoes to passers-by in the most regal of fashions and</em></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">trailing behind is my&nbsp;2 year old who has to physically STOP walking to watch a bus *or truck *or car *or ant *or bumble bee go by. &nbsp;&nbsp;<span style="font-size: x-large;">I mean</span> - &nbsp;<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;">until</span><span style="font-size: small;"> its </span>literally</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">&nbsp;out of eye sight</span>.&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">You get the point.&nbsp;&nbsp; When the object disappears from view, then and ONLY then,&nbsp; can he carry on.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Last week he was great, so I think hes fighting something right now.&nbsp;&nbsp; The sudden unexpected drops in BGLS, especially through the night, and the unprecedented whinginess that is the soundtrack to my existence....&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">So after a restless night of Reuben screaming 'help help help' interspersed with 'go way go way go way', we started the walk off ok.&nbsp;&nbsp; Slowly but surely.&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Until</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">the</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">pedestrian </span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">crossing.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">We wave and hug and kiss and send kiddie #1 on his way to class.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Apparently one of the flowers Reuben had just picked got dropped on the crossing and was now being driven over by busy morning traffic.&nbsp;&nbsp; Lets just say, the kid has some healthy lungs and displayed his vocal ablility, right there beside the crossing,&nbsp;followed by a roll on the footpath, kicking his legs.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Oh my God.&nbsp;&nbsp; I groaned and was *that Mum* who rolled her&nbsp;eyes, folded her arms and set in to wait&nbsp;patiently until it was over. I assured him we'd get another flower then proceeded to carry him home again. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">When we finally&nbsp;got home, I was pleasantly surprised with a package.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Yesterday I'd called up Abbot diabetes care and arranged a co-pilot data cable&nbsp;to use with his freestyle lite to&nbsp;download his BGLS to pc.&nbsp;&nbsp; I think I have to approach this with the way I learn best - remove the emotion (disengaging) and treat it like a study -&nbsp;with a coffee, a highlighter, ruler and to do list.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">First on the agenda, is&nbsp;working on hubby not over treating the early morning hypos he catches at 5am.&nbsp; Right now the only thing we can get Reuben to take at that time, in that groggy sleep is a warm milk drink.&nbsp;&nbsp; But it doesnt have to be so carb laden.&nbsp; Hes working out how much to give to bring him up&nbsp;a couple of&nbsp;points only.&nbsp;&nbsp;With Reubens little body it isnt much.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Lately Ive been thinking more and more about seeking out a private endo.&nbsp;&nbsp; Theres not much support at the hospital we go to, and misinformation.&nbsp;&nbsp; I intend to ask some questions at our next appt, such as why is our target range 4-7 when it seems like such an unrealistic and defeating goal with a toddler.&nbsp;&nbsp; The text they gave us at diagnosis says kids under 6 should aim for a BGL of 5-12mmol/l depending on alot of factors, like activity appetite, time of&nbsp;day and safety. &nbsp; The aim for hba1c apparently is 7-9% under 6 yrs of age.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyway Im not making excuses and expecting the parameters to be loosened, I know where we eventually have to get R's BGLs and to try keep them for his long term health, I just want to be clear whether Im falling within, above or below the line as a pancreas to my son!</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-63993955479075740532011-10-12T14:05:00.000+10:002011-10-12T14:05:43.679+10:00Why bittersweet?<span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">The title of my blog.&nbsp;&nbsp; Ahhh.&nbsp; Well, more <em>sweet than bitter</em>.&nbsp; I know your life with a D&nbsp;child is too.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;D just casts a certain&nbsp;cloud over normally happy and stress free events.&nbsp; But you manage, you factor in&nbsp;diabetes&nbsp;like it has its own persona (which the volatile little </span><a href="mailto:b@stard"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">b@stard</span></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"> actually does).&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">I recently read a friend on facebook had posted. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">'When life deals you lemons... find some vodka'.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Anyway, todays post is about two seperate incidents.&nbsp; Bittersweet, both of them.&nbsp;&nbsp; And both happened this morning.&nbsp; &nbsp;Just thinking about them makes me&nbsp;tear up.&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Both tore at my heart in a similar way.&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Where my kids are concerned there is only the deepest most protective kind of love.&nbsp; Selfless.&nbsp;&nbsp; <strike>The word slave</strike> The word servant comes to mind. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Ordinarily, I dont&nbsp;make a habit of looking around my sons room, as I clean up I stack his precious papers and writing books and put them into his draw.&nbsp;&nbsp; Hes quite prolific, writing out poems and songs and stories with illustrations,&nbsp;&nbsp;hes also a list maker and note taker.&nbsp;<em> Love</em> this about him.&nbsp; &nbsp;For some reason today, I picked up some books and flicked through.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There were words in his&nbsp;immature-learning-to-write-scrappy-little-boy-trying-to-stay-inside-the lines-kind of way.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">He had written a story entitled <em>'My little&nbsp;brother Reuben'</em>.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">My breathe caught in my throat, and I swear I almost turned blue.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">He wrote <em>'My Mum has to keep him alive.&nbsp; I hope she can keep him alive every day.'</em></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">My head spun and my heart raced.&nbsp;&nbsp; Diabetes is a huge deal, and we pray together regularly for things, I guess this story was a heartfelt prayer, a big brother, worried about his little brother, and this disease.&nbsp; Painfully aware of the stress it causes his parents - the weight of this on his little 7 year old shoulders.&nbsp; My smart, funny, sensitive little boy.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Seriously this just makes me so proud and sad, all at once.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DJsG26-V_58/TpUQp250XlI/AAAAAAAAAKw/nSTYV8sqD_M/s1600/samsung+2011+215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" kca="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DJsG26-V_58/TpUQp250XlI/AAAAAAAAAKw/nSTYV8sqD_M/s200/samsung+2011+215.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">The other incident...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">It happened early, straight after Reubens morning test and insulin dosing.&nbsp;&nbsp; Josephine has taken to helping me invert the cloudy protaphane insulin, she also begs to flick the needle to get rid of the air bubbles.&nbsp;&nbsp; Amongst other little things, shes always got the needle clipper ready for me to take the sharp needle off the end ready for disposal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Today after the needle was safe, she wanted to give her stuffed elephant some insulin, so I took the opportunity to talk with her about Reubens pancreas being effectively dead, and when she eats sugar her body knows what to do, but Reubens got to have medicine given to him.&nbsp;&nbsp; She surprised me and told me she knows that when hes low, he needs sugar.&nbsp; When hes high he needs more medicine.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Frickety!&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Suddenly she stood up, a look of panic on her face, and yelled 'Hes hypo hes hypo!' (The elephant that is, not Reuben).&nbsp;&nbsp; I follow her out to the kitchen and shes got some string cheese from the fridge&nbsp;and stuffing it forcefully into the fabric mouth.&nbsp;&nbsp; So, okay this is all amazing, shes got the hypo sorted, except that I had to explain that cheese will do nothing for a hypo and she better give her elephant something with sugar in it, like a juice.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Normal innocent childhood play, with diabetes in the house.&nbsp;&nbsp; Sad, but proud. </span><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Thats why its *bittersweet*. </span><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-41907467321678195312011-10-10T11:58:00.000+10:002011-10-10T11:58:19.206+10:00Wordless Monday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zRYLCMih9KI/TpJQTPJHjmI/AAAAAAAAAKg/KjlY_sYnP3g/s1600/samsung+2011+212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" kca="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zRYLCMih9KI/TpJQTPJHjmI/AAAAAAAAAKg/KjlY_sYnP3g/s320/samsung+2011+212.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lv7DRamueZU/TpJQeo3o5TI/AAAAAAAAAKk/H9wdFIZN7iw/s1600/samsung+2011+244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" kca="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lv7DRamueZU/TpJQeo3o5TI/AAAAAAAAAKk/H9wdFIZN7iw/s320/samsung+2011+244.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FpMFQsTqqkU/TpJQshwPAsI/AAAAAAAAAKo/ZzsmfWcS5AI/s1600/samsung+2011+166.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" kca="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FpMFQsTqqkU/TpJQshwPAsI/AAAAAAAAAKo/ZzsmfWcS5AI/s320/samsung+2011+166.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Du7Dfn0QmJU/TpJRFhmH8mI/AAAAAAAAAKs/j2fVo6STADc/s1600/samsung+2011+230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" kca="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Du7Dfn0QmJU/TpJRFhmH8mI/AAAAAAAAAKs/j2fVo6STADc/s320/samsung+2011+230.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-81711274835427069052011-10-05T15:21:00.000+10:002011-10-05T15:21:43.822+10:00Despite DiabetesToday I was totally inspired by Joe.<br /><br />Rocking a hula hoop.<br /><br />Heres what my baby does despite diabetes...<br /><br /><br /><iframe height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8D2xlDN9UFE?fs=1" frameborder="0" width="459" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-48393797327333755502011-10-02T10:17:00.001+10:002011-10-02T10:20:13.720+10:00Random diabetes cruddy things I didnt want to learnSo theres the big things. <br /><br />You learn to test your childs blood sugar.&nbsp;&nbsp; You learn what the numbers mean. <br />You learn about insulin, storing it, dosing it, injecting it.&nbsp;&nbsp; You learn about carbohydrates.<br /><br />Am I right in saying, then theres the things that you learn on the job.&nbsp; The things the doctors couldnt possibly tell you.<br /><br />Like -<br /><br />Reuben&nbsp;wore a pair of shoes for an outing a few weeks ago.&nbsp;&nbsp; His foot was sweaty and he managed to work up a little blister.&nbsp;&nbsp; Well over the course of a week it got worse, and infected and affected blood sugars.&nbsp; It just never healed like a non diabetic child heals.&nbsp;&nbsp; We were advised to go straight to hospital because any infection and foot problem not healing for a diabetic is super serious.&nbsp;&nbsp; Really a tiny blister creates this much havoc in our lives!&nbsp;&nbsp; I had to call out an after hours doctor, we got antibiotics and a have been using a cream and redressing it twice a day for ages.&nbsp;&nbsp; Its that crazy.&nbsp;&nbsp; I got him new more appropriate sandals.<br /><br />Ive learned about hot deep fried chips.&nbsp; Yup they are deceptive little suckers.&nbsp;&nbsp; Reubs chowed down and in an hour his blood sugars were great.&nbsp;&nbsp; Two hours, terrific, hours three to five where high, and hard to get down.&nbsp;&nbsp; The fat content.&nbsp;&nbsp; Lesson learned.<br /><br />The other stupid thing is, I filled a script for more medicine, but because Reuben is so little, this particular medicine, he gets 2 units each day.&nbsp;&nbsp; I got five boxes, five vials in each, it would take a whole year to use up!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As I stocked it into the fridge feeling glad Id topped up supplies, I checked the expiry date, the chemist had given us insulin that expired Oct 11.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Really.&nbsp;&nbsp; Use one, throw out 24!<br /><br /><br />Always have appropriate footwear on your kid for the amount of miles they will be doing.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Check.<br />Deep fried chips cant be good for any of us!&nbsp; Check.<br />Always&nbsp;quiz expiry date on medicine before walking away.&nbsp; Check.<br /><br />** ** **<br /><br />I dont know if blogger is acting up for everyone, but Ive been trying to comment repeatedly on your blogs and its just not working :(Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-49644398911357964052011-10-01T08:58:00.000+10:002011-10-01T08:58:56.332+10:00Back from holiday...<span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">AND IT WAS FANTASTIC!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Its so nice being away from&nbsp;the normal routine and responsiblities.&nbsp;&nbsp; The kids had an awesome time.&nbsp; AND it was great seeing my Mum and Dad.&nbsp;&nbsp; It was&nbsp;special for my kids to spend that time with my parents, they love them to bits, its&nbsp;the sweetest and closest relationship my kids have with anyone outside of my husband and I.&nbsp; Oh my Gosh... we are home and Im tired, but we did it!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">First things first, Diabetes.&nbsp;&nbsp; Well, I overpacked just to be safe.&nbsp; I played through every scenario in my mind, and although anxious decided it was a fear&nbsp;worth confronting.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I decided taking BGL's more often were in order.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Im not sure I like to think about Reuben being so low he doesnt wake up, but its a fact of living with Diabetes that he could be unconscious, need glucagon, or worse not respond to the big needle and need a sugar drip.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The flip side is stubborn highs, ketones, in hospital.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Then theres emergency management - theres snakes out in the country that can kill you.&nbsp;&nbsp; Theres bee bites, which thankfully Reubens never had but who knows what that would do.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">But thankfully we needed none of that, I treated hypos quickly like at home and all was good.&nbsp; I took&nbsp;quick acting carbohydrates of every variety because Reuben is fussy when hes hypo.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If he would just take juice all the time, we'd be set, but thats not the case.&nbsp; So we left late afternoon I boosted him before we got in the car.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He was 10 as I drove away.&nbsp;&nbsp; Halfway and after a 2 hour nap, I retested he was 7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We had a few lollies and&nbsp;two more stops, for toilet, dinner and retesting.&nbsp;&nbsp; I had to give his dinner medicine and correction&nbsp;at a fast food restaurant.&nbsp;&nbsp; Then we made the final half hour out to&nbsp;my parents property.&nbsp; We arrived tired but without a hitch.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Something I learned is when your diabetic child is really into horses and cows and puppy dogs, his blood sugar sky rockets from excitement.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Then later on it plunges after doing rounds and rounds of the paddock!&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">My parents horse is currently in foal, she looks huge now, its hard to imagine shes not giving birth until next February.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Shes a lovely animal and really curious.&nbsp;&nbsp; She whinnies (sp?) as you approach, like shes saying you better be bringing me a snack, and comes running like a puppy.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; When you go into her paddock she continually crosses your path at 45 degrees to block your way, waiting for snacks.&nbsp;&nbsp; (Thankyou Bonnie and Dad for the 8 bags of horse poo I was gifted for my vege garden and fruit trees!)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Being spring its also calving season, so all the moo moos were either pregnant or had a suckling calf.&nbsp; Pretty cool to see for real and close up, being city folks.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It was really cold so we stoked the fire place and cuddled up and had cuppas.&nbsp;&nbsp; <em>Thank God for my parents, we prayed together&nbsp;for Reuben and all the babies and children and adults suffering from type 1 and for a cure for this bastard disease.&nbsp;&nbsp; </em></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Dad's also keeping bees so Jo helped him (I use the term helped lightly) extract honey and we came home armed with 4kg of fresh honey!!&nbsp;&nbsp; The last jar Mum brought for us we ate in under a week.&nbsp; (I think my husband ate MOST of it). &nbsp;Yummo.&nbsp;&nbsp; Where they are is peanut country, so&nbsp;they also gave us&nbsp;a huge stash of honey roasted peanuts.&nbsp; I love to blitz it with some peanut oil and make a paste so the kids can dip their apple wedges.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We came home so blessed Mum got the kids some toys they really wanted, my car was so loaded up!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">I could go on all day about fresh air and peace and quiet, but it was worth it to see Reuben just so into country life, he just has this affinity with animals and Grandad.&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Ok, so it all went off without a hitch? Wrong.&nbsp; The trip home&nbsp;was awful.&nbsp;&nbsp; Reuben was car sick.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We&nbsp;left at lunchtime, which means his protaphane was peaking at its most aggressive, and despite boosting him before we left, he was having stubborn lows from the mornings activities.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It was&nbsp;his&nbsp;first dose of travel sickness, so getting any carbs into him was&nbsp;a struggle.&nbsp;&nbsp; He doesnt normally react too badly to a 3.5 or a 4,&nbsp; 5, &nbsp;so mostly his blood sugars were there.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Finally I got a lollypop into him, then he vomitted.&nbsp;&nbsp; We stopped to clean it up, and he had a run around in a park then downed a full juice, and we finally made it home.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A 4 hour trip took 5 1/2 hours.&nbsp;&nbsp;Perhaps I shouldve just left late afternoon after protaphane had begun to wear.&nbsp;&nbsp; I guess you learn as you go.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">I feel much more&nbsp;confident travelling with Reuben and his diabetes.&nbsp;&nbsp; We did it.&nbsp; Hes safe and we had a great time.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Next time my husband plans to come with us which should make diabetes easier to manage and afterall hes got a bit of hippy/bushy inside him too. </span>Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-80404605958176372702011-09-22T11:27:00.001+10:002011-09-22T11:40:56.328+10:00Wish I could put glitter in my pipe and smoke it...<span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Im not really involved in the unicorn-rainbow-glitter-ram it where the sun-dont-shine, attack our differences rather than support and convince-you-our-way-is-the-right-way disagreement.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">I have been reading blogs&nbsp;that discuss the issue... Im sad that its upsetting my DOC friends.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Its sad the DOC is divided.&nbsp;&nbsp; We have enough on our plates without being un-supported BY EACH OTHER.&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Judgement and selfishness come to mind right now.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">This has made me examine myself.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">My blog.&nbsp; And. &nbsp;The things I choose to share regarding living with a child with&nbsp;Type 1 Diabetes.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">I would think it pointless to get on here and rave on endlessly about how wonderful my husband is.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; After a while you guys would think I was <em>Bragger</em> of the century and not stop by at all!&nbsp;&nbsp; It wouldnt be true to myself and who I actually am in real life to bang on.&nbsp; I just&nbsp;feel like its insensitive and... deceptive&nbsp;to portray your life as perfect....&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Im thinking about that bit of bile that comes to re-visit when watching a couple spoon feed each other a peice of cake....&nbsp;&nbsp; Rather than think its sweet, Im in the do-that-in-privacy group and arent-you-grown-up-enuf-to-operate-your-own-cutlery?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Its pretentious and a big ol' show.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Hence why I dont actually visit any glittery blogs!!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Im sensitive to the&nbsp;fact that&nbsp;other people feel comforted and can nod and agree in the struggles and hard times we face.&nbsp; Dealing with D and other areas of our lives.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">I have alot of blessings in my life.&nbsp; But this blog is about <em>diabetes</em>.&nbsp;&nbsp; I dont count it a blessing... nope I didnt want this package, I dont think our name was actually on it !&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">It would be nice if I could just glitterize things, but I have a reality.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Just this morning Im preparing to make the 4 hour trip over the weekend&nbsp;to visit my folks - who have beef cattle and a horse and geese and motorbikes..&nbsp;&nbsp;who live a good 30 minutes from a town.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Its infact the first time Ive been since Reubens first Christmas, when he was 3 months old.&nbsp;&nbsp; Then he was diagnosed with type 1 the following May.&nbsp;&nbsp; I have a hard time getting my three young kids ready to go to the park to play let alone on a long trip.&nbsp;&nbsp; I cant pretend its not producing anxiety and worry.&nbsp;&nbsp; Im truly sorry that I ring Mum and burst into tears, when I just planned to ring and ask when we could come, but its where Im at right now.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">My kids dont have extended family anymore because they are selfish and rude and are just never going to 'get it'.&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Until you have a child diagnosed with a chronic illness you dont realise what grief really is.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And theres stages to grief, denial, anger, survival, asking for help.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Its very traumatic.&nbsp;&nbsp; I gotta deal with it as it comes.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I have to feel the pain and express the emotions or I wont cope.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">You cope your way - we will cope ours!</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--w27qXe-Z_U/TnqRJ6PRBxI/AAAAAAAAAKM/PAbWTb503M4/s1600/supplies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--w27qXe-Z_U/TnqRJ6PRBxI/AAAAAAAAAKM/PAbWTb503M4/s320/supplies.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">***</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Diabetes is a tough master.&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">It necessitates we think about our child, and&nbsp;food, &nbsp;all day.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">All night.&nbsp;&nbsp; 24/7/365.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Never ending.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xYUTqjTEqZ8/TnqRX0AU4QI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/18Kq0bRIseo/s1600/d1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xYUTqjTEqZ8/TnqRX0AU4QI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/18Kq0bRIseo/s1600/d1.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">We have to stock our home pantries, diabetes supply bags and cars with the right carbs for emergencies.&nbsp;&nbsp; We think about whats in the meal, and the GI of the carbs, what they last ate, how much medicine they had/need/will possibly need.&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dOk9SiLDzrY/TnqRfT4qHEI/AAAAAAAAAKU/61sdsJqftvo/s1600/d4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dOk9SiLDzrY/TnqRfT4qHEI/AAAAAAAAAKU/61sdsJqftvo/s320/d4.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">We have to know where we are going, how long, and what facilities are there.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">We have to think about supplies like medicine, needles, blood glucose meters, strips, ketone strips, and spares of all of the above just incase.&nbsp; We have to be able to carb count, and compute insulin on board.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; More than that its an emotional disease.&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">I have to prick my son and make him bleed at 5am, 8am, 10.30am, 12noon, 2pm, (sometimes at 3.30ish), 6pm,8.30pm,11.30pm and once more overnight.&nbsp; Sometimes I test because hes upset.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WRbSC5mF10I/TnqRrgHbK_I/AAAAAAAAAKY/iHzHvlJTGDI/s1600/insulins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="251" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WRbSC5mF10I/TnqRrgHbK_I/AAAAAAAAAKY/iHzHvlJTGDI/s320/insulins.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Perhaps hes low?</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Perhaps hes high?</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">We are going for a half hour drive.&nbsp;&nbsp; Test.</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">He tripped over.&nbsp;&nbsp; Test.&nbsp;&nbsp; Someone offered us a small chocolate.&nbsp;&nbsp; Test.&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">I have to give insulin to match carbs at 8am, 2 different insulins to keep my son alive.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I mix them together after counting what I need to cover his food, and what I need to correct his number.</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Its all numbers.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W5I2tJF6Kjg/TnqR0IcECMI/AAAAAAAAAKc/7oj0SNY0HiI/s1600/d8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W5I2tJF6Kjg/TnqR0IcECMI/AAAAAAAAAKc/7oj0SNY0HiI/s1600/d8.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">I give medicine with dinner. 2 more needles.&nbsp;&nbsp; A long acting to take him through the night.&nbsp;&nbsp; Not too little so he spends the night high, and threatens hyperglycaemia then the horrific condition,&nbsp;ketoacidosis.&nbsp;&nbsp; I give not too much so we live in fear of hypoglycaemia.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A 15 year old in the diabetes community just passed away from untreated low blood sugar through the night.&nbsp; Every night is a gamble of insulin and carbs.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We are not immune from this reality. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">We aim for what seems like the elusive balance.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">So if you dance around on roof tops singing of rainbows good luck to you!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Love and hugs to you ALL on this journey. </span>Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854908515120917420.post-18744658857626306192011-09-20T20:24:00.000+10:002011-09-20T20:24:52.718+10:00Happy 2nd Birthday<span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">You read that right!&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Mr Reuby-Roo is turning 2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Can you freaking beleive that!!!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Tomorrow when we wake up, hes going to get a bunch of books (yup Im a book freak) and a first Thomas the Tank engine BMX with parent handle.&nbsp; Plus some cupcakes.&nbsp; (Portion control).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Overwhelmingly Im sad that the last two thirds of his life have had the dark clouds of diabetes taking the gloss off his baby-hood.&nbsp; Probably not for him, I mean hes a strong kid, a real coper and with a sweet disposition.&nbsp;&nbsp; He has fun, he is soooo happy go lucky and very intelligent.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I mean, more for myself, that sadness that the worry and stress of managing D has been there, that sometimes I wish I was more in the moment, enjoying him climbing and running and playing and not freaking that his fall on the footpath was caused by a plumetting blood sugar.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sometimes it is.&nbsp;&nbsp; Mostly its toddlerhood.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Stupid, that normal baby naps should be celebrated and shouldve been my rest as a mum and a repreive each day, but infact have been some of our most stressful lows in the past 16 months.&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Thinking that the old blog needs to be re-vamped as Reuben is no longer a BABY with diabetes. Nope, hes had type 1 for 16months, (incase you havent read re: his diagnosis, since he was 8months), but now he is TWO. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Hes not a toddler in training, hes a tantrum throwing, door slamming, running away, &nbsp;back chatting, repeating words&nbsp;he shouldnt, &nbsp;defiant toddler, who turned the pen needle onto me tonight enquiring if he could give me a needle.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Hes active.&nbsp;&nbsp; Hes like his brother and sister.&nbsp;&nbsp; They are movers. Out doors-y kids with a lust for life.&nbsp;&nbsp; GOD HELP ME&nbsp; this next year as Reuben grows from age 2 to 3 - from toddler to child, the landscape of our life will again shift.&nbsp;&nbsp; Diabetes will change and my biggest hope is his eating will improve so carb counting gets easier.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I also hope that we teach him some meaningful dialogue about diabetes so he can communicate as best he can of low blood sugars.&nbsp;&nbsp; Right now he says 'lol lol' (lolly) to indicate he needs sugar, or if the mood strikes him 'joosh' (juice) that he would prefer fruit juice to bring up a low.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Anyway, </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY BABY SON REUBEN Heres hoping you have many fulfilling,&nbsp;fruitful safe years until theres a cure. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">xx</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Juleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15199571808950027287noreply@blogger.com6